Dwellings in areas with no electrical utility infrastructure often depend upon fossil-fuel lamps for lighting after dark. Recent reductions in cost of solar panels is allowing people who utilize such dwellings to replace fossil-fuel lamp lighting with low-power electric lighting powered by solar cells and storage batteries.
The roofs of such dwellings are typically constructed of metallic corrugated materials. Currently when mounting solar panel frames on such roofs, mounting infrastructure requires that holes be drilled in the corrugated roofing, and after installation, such holes must be appropriately sealed to prevent water leaks. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,424,821 discloses a mounting bracket that relies on holes drilled in the roofing sheet and screws that fasten bracket portions to the roof panels that protrude through said holes.
In areas where such dwellings are associated with very low incomes, the cost of mounting such solar panel frames can be prohibitive. On the other hand, mounting such frames on ground surfaces may often result in theft.
Ideally, a mounting system and method that does not require tools or special skills, and enables one to mount solar panel frames near the roof peak could both mitigate the cost of installation and the incidence of theft.